Opera-glass.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

E. B. MEYROWITZ OPERA GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1904.'

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through the front UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL B. MEYROWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MEYRO- WVITZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

OPERA-GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i'atenteo. May 29, 1906v To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL B. MEYROWITZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Opera-Glasses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to folding operaglasses, the object being to provide a construction which will enable anopera-glass to be folded up into a comparatively small space while not in use and which bya simple operation can be unfolded and become at once ready for use.

A further object is to provide such a device which shall be simple and cheap to construct and not liable to become-deranged or otherwise get .out of order.

My invention involves a two-part casing the members of which are ada ted to separate on a plane coincident wit the central line of vision, such members being related together and to a tilting frame in which the object-lenses are mounted by means of levers in such a manner that by pressing the members of the casing together the said frame will be tilted into a plane approaching that of the case members, and thus permit the latter to approach each other and close in the mechanism.

The invention also involves a special construction of device whereby these motions are effected and whereby a spring is utilized at an appropriate location to open or unfold the case whenever its latch is released.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in detail and comprise four figures, of which Figure 1 is an edge or end elevation of the opera glass opened. Fig. 2 is a section late of the opera-glass with one member of the casing removed and showing the mechanism in plan. Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on line :n 00 of Fig. 2 and showing the glass opened and closed, respectively.

a indicates the front plate of the glass, containing two circular openings, in which are free to slide the tubes b, containing the eyepieces. These tubes are attached to a frame I), having a rack 6 by which the eyepieces are adjusted to alter the focus, the particular manner of adjustment being referred to hereinaft'er, but constituting no part of the present invention. 0 and a are respectively two half members of a casing, each consisting of a flat portion bounded by inwardly-turned flanges adapted to come together and form a flat box-like casing. These members are respectively hinged to the opposite edges of the front plate'a, as indicated at c 0 d is a rectangular flat bar fastened at one end to the middle point of the front plate a and extending rearward along the middle of the casing. At its extreme end this bar supports upon axis d a plate 6, said axis passing through ears attached to the middle of the plate in such a manner that the plate is adapted to swing into a plane approaching that of the fiat bar I). This plate carries the obj cot-lenses of the glass, which are to be understood as located within the rings 6 e. A spring f surrounds the axis d and bears at one end against the plate a and at the other end against the bar I) in such a manner as to tend to rotate the plate 6 upon its axis. Upon the flat bar cl is a slidable sleeve g, to which is pivotally connected a link it, which at its opposite end is pivotally connected to an ear t, fixed to plate 6 at a point either above or below the line of its axis (1. Also pivoted to this sleeve 9 are two links and j, which lead, respectively, to lugs 76 on the inside of the respective case members to which they are pivoted. The two case members have a limited motion in opening, determined by the bellows m. When wide open, as indicated in Fig. 3 the links and j stand at an angle, with the apex toward the front, and if now the members of the casing are pressed toward each other the links will cause the sleeve to slide forward on the flat bar d, and this motion will swing plate e upon its axis, by reason of the eccentrically-connected link h, until finally the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 4, the members of the casing being closed and latched by the usual thumb-latch 0. This closed condition is the normal condition when the glass is not in use, and being a thin flat casing is easily handled or stored in the pocket. To open the glass, it is merely necessary to press the thumblatch 0, whereupon the spring f exerts its force and returns plate e to its position at right angles to the bar (1, as shown in Fig. 3.

In making this motion sleeve g is at the same time drawn rearward and the members of the casing are thrown outward to the full limit, which they reach at the moment plate 6 becomes parallel to the front plate a. The glass can now be used like an ordinary operaglass. While the spring f acts to swingthe lens-carrying plate and through the link to open the case members, it will be observed that were the spring omitted the actof moving the case members to open position will cause the links to swing the lens-carrying plate or frame to its upright focusing position, as shown in Fig. 3.

As a means for altering the focus I adopt a well-known construction consisting of a thumb and finger wheel p, mounted on an axis in the front end of plate (1 and carrying a pinion p, which engages with the rack b on frame Z). The edge of wheel p protrudes through slots inthe case members, where it can be grasped between the thumb and'finger and rotated in the usual way, causing the frame I) and the tubes 1) to be moved inward or outward.

Having described'rny invention, I claim 1. A folding opera glass comprising a hinged casing having a support therein, a-

lens-frame-within said casing and pivoted to said support, and link connections between said casing and frame for swinging said frame into operative position whensaid casing is opened.

2. A folding opera-glass comprising a hinged two-part casing, a lens-frame symmetrically p1voted between the halves thereof, and link connections between said casing and frame for moving the parts into operative relation when the casing is opened.

3. A folding opera-glass comprising a twoart. casing, a support within said casing, a ens-frame pivoted to said-support, and a link pivoted to said frame and slidably arranged on said support.

4. A folding opera-glass comprising a twopart casing, a support within said casing, a lens-frame pivoted to said support, a link pivoted to said frame and slidably arranged on said support, and connectionsto said casing for movlng said link.

5. A folding opera-glass comprising a twopart casing, a support within said casing, a lens-frame pivoted to said support, a link pivoted to said'frame and slidably arranged on said support, and connections for moving said link.

6. A folding opera-glass comprising a support, a lens-frame hinged thereto, a link slidably arranged on said support and operatively connected to move said lensframe, and additional links connected .to the outer casing and to said first-named link for moving the frame.

7. A folding opera-glass comprising a support, a lens-framehinged thereto and springpressed into a perpendicular or focusing rela tion, and a two-part casing having connections for moving said lens-frame to its said relation. 7

8. In a folding opera-glass, the combination of a support, two case members hinged to the support, a lens-carrying-frame hinged to the support, and three links pivoted respectively to the frame and the'case members and connected'by a common pivot-at their other ends.

9. In a folding opera-glass, the combination with two hinged case members, of a lenscarrying plate pivoted within the same, a slide, connections between'the slide and the plate and between the slide and the case members whereby motion of the case members will be communicated through-the slide to the plate-and motion of the plate'will be communicated through the slide to the'case members.

10. In a folding opera-glass, the combination of a front plate carrying eyepieces, a back plate carrying objectives, a bar connecting the two plates together and-to which the back plate is hinged,a slide working on said bar, two case members hinged to the front plate, links connecting the case members with the slide and anotherlink attached eccentrically to, the back plate and to the slide, for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMIL B. MEYROWITZ.

Witnesses:

JEAN SCHMIDT, SAML. MONEILL. 

